1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to golf devices, and more particularly to a golf putting practice device and methods of making the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
The successful playing of golf requires skill and precision. This is perhaps nowhere more self evident than on the green. Accurate putting involves a combination of judgement, experience, as well as proper hand-eye coordination. Judgement is a matter of assessing the slope, grass condition, grain and distance of the projected roll path of the ball to the cup. Experience enables a player to select a proper back stroke and aim point for the putting stroke. However, merely knowing the anticipated distance and break of a putt based upon an examination of the green and on player experience is not enough to assure an accurate putt. It is still necessary for the player to translate that information and experience into a properly executed putting stroke through proper hand-eye coordination.
In an ideal putting stroke, the face of the putter is approximately normal to the intended initial roll path of the ball at the time the putter face strikes the ball. If the putter head does not squarely impact the ball, that is, the putter head is stroked at an angle relative to the desired initial roll path of the ball, the ball will roll on a path that lies either to the right or to the left of the desired roll path depending upon the angle of the forward movement of the putter head relative to the desired roll path. While it is permissible and even sometimes desirable for the putter head to move upwards as the ball is struck in order to impart a forward roll to the ball, it is conversely highly undesirable for the putter head to exhibit any lateral motion at the time the ball is struck. If the putter head is moving laterally relative to the ball at the time of impact, a torque is applied to the ball which may produce an undesirable spin that causes the roll path to deviate to the right or left depending upon the direction of lateral movement of the putter head at the time of impact.
As with other aspects of putting, the ability to consistently bring the putter head squarely into contact with the ball may be substantially improved through practice. To this end, a number of conventional putter training devices have been developed over the years to assist the golfer in developing a more consistent putting stroke. One conventional design incorporates a pair of spaced-apart wheels connected to a golf ball. The wheels have an outer diameter that is larger than that of the golf ball such that the ball is supported above the putting surface by the wheels. A properly executed putting stroke will, theoretically, bring the face of the putter head squarely into contact with both of the wheels simultaneously and produce a straight, freely rolling movement of the device. Off-axis strokes will theoretically strike one or the other of the wheels first, producing a deviant rolling movement. The difficulty with this design is that it does not provide a realistic tactile feedback to the player. The lack of tactile feedback stems from the fact that the larger outer diameters of the wheels relative to the outer diameter of the ball prevents the putter head from ever actually contacting the ball. Thus, even a properly executed putting stroke will not feel like an actual putt to the golfer.
Another conventional design incorporates a pair of weights connected to a golf ball in spaced-apart relation. The weights are diametrically positioned and designed to provide the ball with a mass moment of inertia through an axis passing through the center of the ball and the weights that is smaller than mass moments of inertia taken along two other axes orthogonal to the axis passing through the center of the ball and the weights. The ball is placed on a putting surface with the axis passing through the weights parallel to the putting surface and perpendicular to the desired roll path of the ball. A correctly stroked putt will, theoretically, cause the ball to roll straight with a rotational axis that corresponds to the axis passing through the weights. Conversely, a misstroked putt will cause the ball to roll unstably as the weights begin to strike the putting surface. The difficulty with this design is that less than instantaneous feedback may be provided as an indicator of an improperly struck putt. A small misstroke may cause the ball to roll some distance before the instability of the ball brings the weights into contact with the putting surface. Furthermore, the weights are intended to be metal slugs that have a density that is much greater than the density of the golf ball itself. Accordingly, the device may be heavier than a regulation golf ball and thus not provide the same tactile response as a regular golf ball.
The present invention is directed to overcoming or reducing the effects of one or more of the foregoing disadvantages.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a golf device for use on a putting surface is provided that includes a ball that has a center and a first outer diameter. A first annular member is coupled to the ball and has a second outer diameter that is smaller than the first outer diameter. The first annular member has a first outer peripheral surface. A second annular member is coupled to the ball in substantially parallel spaced-apart relation to the first annular member. The second annular member has a third outer diameter that is smaller than the first outer diameter. The second annular member has a second outer peripheral surface. The spacing of the first and second annular members defines a spherical zone of the ball that projects radially outwardly from the center beyond the outer peripheral surfaces of the first and second annular members. The first and second diameters of the first and second annular members are sized so that a first portion of the first outer peripheral surface and a second portion of the second outer peripheral surface are positioned substantially at the putting surface.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a golf device for use on a putting surface is provided that includes a ball that has a center and a first outer diameter. A first annular member is coupled to the ball. The first annular member has a second outer diameter that is smaller than the first outer diameter. The first annular member has a first outer peripheral surface and a first bore through which a first spherical cap portion of the ball projects. A second annular member is coupled to the ball in substantially parallel spacedapart relation to the first annular member. The second annular member has a third outer diameter that is smaller than the first outer diameter. The second annular member has a second outer peripheral surface and second bore through which a second spherical cap portion of the ball projects. The spacing of the first and second annular members defines a spherical zone of the ball that projects radially outwardly from the center beyond the outer peripheral surfaces of the first and second annular members.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for securing first and second annular members to a golf ball in substantially parallel spaced-apart relation is provided that includes a first member that has a first recess sized to receive the first annular member with a portion of the first annular member projecting upwardly therefrom. A second member is provided that has a second recess sized to receive the second annular member in a substantially parallel orientation relative the first annular member and with a second portion of the second annular member projecting downwardly therefrom. An alignment guide is coupled to the first and second members for positioning the first and second members in substantially parallel alignment and the first and second annular members in substantially concentric alignment when the first and second members are brought together to sandwich the golf ball between the first and second annular members.